Last week before 1/2M (Read 703 times)

Tapering is enormously over-rated, in my opinion. At least for normal runners. Elites may be a different story, but I think most average-joe marathoners and halfers taper way, way too much and just lose fitness in the last weeks before a race. I've long suspected this so I just tested it. After a 42 mile training run 3 weeks ago and a brutal marathon 2 weeks ago, I actually ran - really ran - the week before another marathon. I set a 2 mile PR on Sunday, I did hard intervals (Yasso 800s) on Monday, ran a pretty decent hill workout on Wednesday (and accidentally beat a mile PR on a downhill), and even ran at race pace for a couple miles on Thursday. And set a 4 minute PR on Saturday. None of the above is necessarily recommended, but I don't think I'll be doing any more perfect 3 week tapers. I'd ignore the other runner. Follow the training plan. It's worked thus far. Go easy this week. Be careful. But run if you want. Maybe all easy runs with a few pick-me-ups or striders in the middle. Your training looks damn near perfect to my barely-educated eyes. What's your goal?

The only things that I would say would be: maybe shorten your 8 miles to 6 miles, it seems like you take a little bit of recovery after an 8+. But mainly, just don't set any of your workouts in stone. If you don't feel quite right one day or need a day off or even add an extra mile feel free. I agree with Jake that elites probably benefit more from taper, but I believe if you body is ready fitness wise with no taper you could get a 4 minute PR. With taper you could maybe get 5 or eek out 6 if you are really lucky over a marathon. Fitness is the key to a PR not taper. Finally where I think taper would help the most is if you were actually racing against someone. We "Average Joes" usually try to "race" at a even perceived effort/pace. If you are racing against someone you might want to tear up a hill to try to lose them. To do that fresher legs would help IMO. Hopefully that all makes sense, I tend to ramble.

If I had to choose between over taper and under taper I'd choose under. Definitely taking wed-Sat off would leave me with legs of brick and a gut to match. I'd stick with your schedule or at most back off Thursday or Friday a bit. If I were to take a total day off I would take off friday. Good Luck! Will be looking for that race report Monday!

Agree with the above. You are feeling good the last week keep the miles just go real easy the last 2-3 days. If you take a day off, do it Friday not Saturday. You need the blood volume from Saturday's run.

Tapering is about mental preparation, giving yourself the extra time to organize your last thoughts, meals, shoe choices, clothing for the race, you should check the weather and make adjustments for it like gloves if its going to be cold. If you already well seasoned and prepared runner, then most of this is second nature and tapering becomes less of an issue. You don't run 20 minutes worse on race day, but it is hard to get those extra 5 minutes under if everything isn't just right!

With my last race I followed the advice of people here (mainly Tchuck) and I did not taper- it was only 10 but still- it was also my first race of that length. It worked out fine for me, had I tapered to hard I know it would of been a detriment. Having said that, what I did do wrong was push too hard that week- lesson learned. EASY runs mean EASY runs.. Good luck!